Requiescat en Pace ch 1
by screaming-eagle-of-flames
Summary: Ezio and Altair meet in a strange way... with strange things brewing!
1. Chapter 1

"Oh Ezio, I've waited more than two hundred years to meet you, and you are more than I expected. Of course, you would know who I am?"

Ezio shook his head in disbelief.

"...God?"

The apparation grinned widely, his perfectly lined teeth flashing in the bright sun that shone from between the bare branches of the winterized trees.

"Close! Hahaha! No, please guess again!"

"But you glow like God's supposed to! And you have wings! Or... are they wings? Are you an angel? Have you come to take me to my father and mother?"

He sounded a bit scared at the last part; his pupils were getting smaller.

"Of course not! I'm no diety, Ezio. And I don't have wings. That's just my tunic. One last guess."

Ezio seemed relieved and began to think hard. He habitually put his hand on his chin and began to stroke the stubs of his newly growing beard.

"...You said two hundered years, right? So you're long dead, but you're not immortal? But you're not mortal, either..."

"Correct, correct, and... I'm somewhat immortal. Does that make any sense?"

Ezio shook his head. The apparation seemed exasperated.

"...Hmmm, well, I got the Apple and was able to transfer my conciousness-"

"The Apple of Eden? Like, ithe/i Apple?"

"Yes, yes, ithat/i Apple! Now, like I was saying-"

"I know who you are!"

"Finally..." he grumbled.

Ezio threw his arms into the air with a huge smile on his face.

"You're me!"

"WHAT."

"Yes! You're me from another life!"

"...That... that doesn't even-"

Ezio crossed his arms and shifted his weight onto one foot, a perfect pouting stance.

"...Um... I think I should just tell you..." he chose his words with caution.

"...Fine."

"I'm Altaïr. You're my descendant."

"..."

Ezio had to think for a second.

"..."

"...Well?"

"...no."

"What do you mean, no?"

"No. That's not possible. You'd be dead."

Altaïr smacked his face with his hand.

"We just had this discussion two seconds ago..."

"Memory loss. It runs in my...uh... well, I just kinda developed it."

"Hm. Well, since I've completely obliterated any chance of coming to you with your eyes filled with awe or wonder or something, I'll just-"

"Can I call you gramps?"

"-ah... Excuse me?"

"Yeah! Gramps!"

"No! I'm not-"

"Hey Gramps, what're ya doing here, anyways?"

"...I'm going to be your new teacher. For fighting. And don't call me-"

"Yesss!" Ezio pretended to stab an enemy with a pretend hidden blade. "Hya! I'm gonna be a real assassin!"

Altaïr chuckled to himself. "This isn't going to be easy, is it?"

Ezio stopped and smiled, eyes squinting with joy.

"Nope! Hahaha!"

"Haha! Jeez, if I'd known..."

iYou're a cute kid... well, not really a kid... just... like a kid?/i

"Hey Gramps?"

"I'm- don't call me that."

"Gramps?"

"Fuck... what?"

Ezio whimpered.

"What did I do, Jesus Christe?" (Pronounced Yay-sus Cree-stay)

"You cursed..."

Altaïr gave him an unamused stare.

"Are you serious?"

Ezio nodded, his eyes started shining.

"Ugh, I'm sorry, filiis, I meant no harm."

"..."

"...Well?"

Ezio's face was transformed into one big smile.

"...hahahahahahahahaha!"

"Why the hell are you laughing like a excors?"

He stopped laughing and his face became deathly serious.

"What's an excors?"

"...An idiot. I called you an idiot."

"Thanks, gramps. Real confidance booster there."

Altaïr groaned.

"Lets get to training. And don't call me 'gramps.'"

"What should I call you then?"

Altaïr started walking towards the setting sun.

"Melius quam."

"What's that mean?" Ezio hurried to catch up.

"Cooler than you."

"What? No!"

"Well what about just... teacher?"

"Boring. But whatever. What about me?"

"I know just the right name for you: magna BOMBULUM."

"What's ithat/i mean?"

"...Hahaha!"

"What?"

"It means 'big fart!'"

"Oh, you son of a-"

Altaïr caught the rolling punch with the palm of his hand. He pulled Ezio closer so that they were almost touching noses. Ezio's face radiated red heat.

i"Youi/ are the son, techically. And..."

Ezio ground his teeth together to keep from squealing as Altaïr clenched his fingers over his fist.

"You... really suck, Ezio."

He flashed a smile in his direction as he walked off toward the city of Firenze. (Or Florence?) He stopped after two steps and lazily held the bottom of Ezio's chin with two fingers. He staired into his eyes, inspecting their color.

iHe has such beautiful eyes.../i

"...Ezio Auditore de Firenze. A fine name, indeed. To be named after such a place of wondorous beauty and magic... yes... very... unfitting for you."

Altaïr smirked and dropped his arm to his side, striding off once again. Ezio's eyebrows knitted together into a frown.

"Oh, you... you... bring it!"

"You fart!" Altaïr smiled as he got the desired affect.

"Old Man!" He retorted, bending his knees and bringing his fists up.

iAlright! He's a fighter!/i

"Well well. Look at you. Let's have at it, shall we?"

A click, and Altaïr's blade flashed bright white in the sun.

"Hic!" Ezio gulped.

Altaïr took of the gauntlet and threw it to Ezio, who caught it with surprise. He gave him a quizzical look.

"Here. Take it. It wouldn'd be fair otherwise."

Ezio strapped it on while asking.

"But don't you need it?"

"I have another one. When I die, they'll both be yours."

"Aren't you already-"

"Shut up and go for the kill, else I'll get you first!"

He ran towards Ezio with speed and grace. Ezio barely avoided the collision and parried the blade away with clumsiness on an acceptable level. The attack continued.

iWhoa! He's fast for an old man!/i

"Oops." Altaïr cut upwards too fast for Ezio to avoid, which resulted in staining the tip of his blade a shining crimson.

Ezio screamed with pain as he knelt on the ground, hands clawing at his upper lip.

"What... the FUCK!"

"Oops."

"OOPS? OOPS! WHAT DO YOU MEAN, OOPS?"

Altaïr shrugged.

"Oops. I didn't mean to. You should have blocked it, anyways."

"Damn you! You could have hurt me... worse!"

"It's just a scratch, okay? You're just being a whimp!"

Altaïr sat on the ground next to him, retracting his blade, and motioning for Ezio to do the same. He didn't. Instead he shed silent tears. Altaïr rolled his eyes and pulled back his hood so Ezio could see his own face for the first time. Pointing to his upper lip, he said gently "Look, we match now, alright? I had the same thing done to me when I was your age. Except it wasn't my teacher."

Ezio wiped the tears from his eyes and nodded, looking up at him with big sad brown eyes. "Was it... was it a bad guy?"

Altaïr laid his head back towards the sky and exhaled deeply.

iJeez, he's too cute. He's just bursting with it! How could this be the killing machine I have to make him into? I can't! /i

"Yeah... yeah, it was."

"Oh... I- I'm sorry..."

"N-No! Don't be! It's okay! Really..."

"But you just said I was a whimp!"

"Well f- I mean, never mind! Forget I said that! You're not a whimp! You- you... I..."

Ezio grabbed each side of Altaïr's face and pulled it down to his, cutting off the rest of his sentance. Altaïr groaned as their lips touched, putting a hand underneath his head and pushing his tounge in between Ezio's lips.

iF- finally! ...No! Shit, I can't believe I'm doing this! This... this is so wrong./i

Ezio whimpered as Altaïr pulled away meekly, his stomach twisting into solid knots and his soul bleeding from the thorns of reality.

"...I- I'm sorry... It's just not right..."

"Alty..." He whimpered.

Altaïr put one hand over his eyes and used the other to push away Ezio's face.

"Don't call me that, it makes it harder for me!"

"No!" he whimpered with even more sadness and dejection.

He tried to cling onto Altaïr's arm but he shook him off.

"Please!" Ezio whispered frantically. "Please!"

Altaïr shook his head as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"No. It's not right. I can't do it. We're related. I just..."

He hugged himself and doubled over, his head resting on the soft grass.

"I'm so sorry..." he choked out.

Ezio's heart was broken for the very first time.


	2. Chapter 2

The only thing Altaïr could feel was the familiar ache in his legs and arms from running. He could have teleported, materializing out of nowhere, but tonight he wanted the old comfort of pain with him. He could not stand looking behind him. He could not go back to him. It would kill him.

So he ran.

He could hear Ezio crying for him, mewling like a kitten. It slashed his heart to bits. He knew the cause of Ezio's pain was his own self, and he felt he could not live with it.

So he ran.

He could have run with the thought of Ezio's smiling face burned into his mind. But he chose not the smiling ezio, but the crying Ezio's face. He carved the image into his brain so that he would never forget the pain he had caused him. It was getting darker. The air was becoming colder the closer he got to the city. Florence. "iFirenze/i Ezio Auditore de iFirenze./i His homeland...Ezio..." Altaïr stopped and doubled over, panting. As he straightened up, he looked over the city, then back to the distance he had covered. Lightning flashed in the sky.

And so he ran.

Back to Ezio.

"Altaïr... did I make you unhappy? Do you not want me?"

Ezio sat on a rock that overlooked the valley that evedentally led to the horizon that carried the moon on its shoulders. He shivered as the cold night air brushed against his body. He pulled his hood back up to keep out the chills. Hugging hisself, he looked up at the disk that shone fully in the sky.

"Brother Moon, what did I do wrong?"

Brother Moon did not answer. Instead, he seemed to answer his question by sommoning clouds to cover hisself.

"Oh, It's okay. I cover myself up, too. But you shouldn't. You're too beautiful to do that. I'm jealous. Maybe if I was as handsome as you..."

Ezio ran his fingers along his cheek, and accidentally touched the freshly made cut in his skin. He pulled his hand away quickly with a sharp intake of breath as it burned and stung.

"Ouch!"

He exhaled deeply.

It started to drizzle.

"Nevermind. I wouldn't want to rain on everyone. Then ieveryone/i would get mad at me..."

He thought about Altaïr and how he had made the incision without mercy. He didn't think it was an accident anymore...

It thundered in the distance.

"No, I didn't mean it like that... It's just... I have a lot of problems..."

Lightning split the sky in four pieces. Ezio yelped and fell backwards off of the rock he had previously been sitting on.

"Mmmm... I wish I was as powerful as you, too. But I'm not..."

Thunder banged right overtop of where Ezio laid; it rang in his ears for too long. Ezio did not like bad weather. Or loud noises. A combination of both was the poison that killed the dumb rat.

It started to pour bucketfulls of water directly on Ezio's thin clothing, soaking through as quickly as if nothing was there. He shivered and curled into a ball, sniffing. The rain was making him too cold; he would most likely get sick, but he didn't care.

Closing his eyes, he tried to sleep.

"Ezio... Ezio! Get up! ...Hey, Ezio! Hurry! There's a really bad storm coming!"

Ezio cracked open his eyes and saw, in disbelief, Altaïr shaking him to get up.

"A...Altaïr?"

"No, your mom! Yes! Now get up or we're going to die!"

"What?"

Ezio couldn't move, he was frozen solid. He was terrified.

"Altaïr, I'm stuck! I can't move! What if I'll never be able to move again?"

"Fuck this!"

Altaïr tried to pull Ezio up by the arms, but the ounding rain mixed with hail and the strong winds blew him back down.

"Damn it! Excuse me, please!"

Altaïr picked him up and ran as fast as he could towards the city. Ezio shivered with both cold and the butterflies that blossomed in his stomach. He threw his arms around Altaïr's neck and hugged him closer.

"Thank you!" He called into the night sky.

"What did you say?" Altaïr yelled back at him, trying to make himself heard over the howling wind and beating rain.

"Nothing..." Ezio yelled back, laughing.

"You are a fucking idiot, laughing at a time like this!"

Ezio smiled to himself, but quickly became serious once again.

"Altaïr, are you sure you can carry me?"

"..Y-Yes! ...ah!"

Altaïr stumbled.

"...Uh...no. Put me down and run back alone. I can deal with this."

"Ha! If only my conscience would allow that!"

Ezio pounded on his back.

"Altaïr, I command you put me down at once!" he screamed.

"No! I won't!"

Ezio tried to kick him, but he just threw him over his shoulder and lugged him like a dead corpse.

"Altaïr!" Ezio whined. "Don't do this!"

"I will- ahhh!"

He wasn't looking at the ground and fell into a giant gaping hole that had been covered with leaves and grass. They both tumbled down inside Mother Earth until Altaïr hit his head on a rock that protruded from the side of the hole and fell to the ground, unconcious. Ezio fell on top of him, his back hitting the ground first, which knocked the wind out of him.

Exhausted and unable to do anything, he blacked out.

The leaves rustled as the sillouette of a man brushed them aside with one hand.

"Well, look at this. I caught myself two assassins. Lovely. Let's hope they don't kill me, haha!" he said, laughing humorlessly.

He jumped down in the hole and threw them both out, he himself following.

Ezio woke up in total silence. He did not hear a sinngle sound, save for the fingling of metal on metal as he sat up, hand on his head.

"Ugh, what... where am I?"

The dim light made it hard to see much but the outlines of things.

He looked around and saw Altaïr laying next to him. His clothes were laying next to his body, stained with blood, and his head was wrapped in bandages. Despite being worried, Ezio was able to look over his body. Lean and toned, not an ounce of fat in sight. He didn't look any further down below his belly button, that would be invading his privacy. He mockingly held up a hand in front of his face and closed an eyelid, smiling. He did not smile when he saw the scar that led from his left hip to the tip of his right shoulder blade. It looked newer than all of the others he seemed to have accumulated over the various fights and skirmishes.

Ezio crawled closer to him, running a thick finger across his broken skin. It felt too smooth to be that old, but smooth enough to say it had been there for a maximum of only four weeks. Disturbed, Ezio laid down beside him, putting an arm over top of Altaïr's torso and resting his head in the space between his scapula and neck.

Breathing in deeply, he smelled that musky odor that belonged only to men mixed with his own special scent... it was not replaceable. Ezio knew he would never forget that smell.

The seeming tent bursted into white as the flap was lifted.

"Hmmm... what're you doing there?"

Ezio scrambled away from Altaïr as fast as he could, embarrassed he had been caught in the act.

"Checking... his bandages?"

The man laughed.

"Sure. Anyways, I have food-"

"FOOD. FOOD IS GOOD. I'D LOVE SOME FOOD."

The man laughed again.

"You all eat almost nothing. Or that's what it looks like to me. Come on out. Your boyfriend is under the spell of sleep. He most likely suffered a concussion."

Ezio shivered at the word 'boyfriend.' Was Altaïr his boyfriend? He didn't know. He did know he wanted food.

"Um... uh... excuse me, but... if you don't mind, may I ask: What is your name?"

The man leaned in and extended his hand.

"Ratohnhaké:ton. But most call me Connor Kenway. So can you."

"Nice to meet you, Connor. Thank you."


	3. Chapter 3

"Connor, you never told me... why- and how- did you get here?"

Ezio sat cross-legged around the small camp fire, opposite of where Connor laid on his back, his arms beneath his head, acting as a support. He was stairing at the stars that glinted like specks of golden dust, varying in different shades of blue, yellow, and white- hot. They had been talking and inquiring about each other for hours, since the afternoon, in fact, to pass the time for Altair's recovery and awakening, and the day had slowly but surely passed into dusk. The dusk handed its clutch on the sun over to night and allowed the moon to rise high in the sky. A full round disk shone brightly, dissolving any clouds and casting an eerie glow on Ezio's surroundings.

He usually didn't find the darkness disquieting, but tonight was different. The past day and a half had put him on edge. This was only proved when Connor sat up with a rustle. Ezio had been so lost in thinking of what creatures could possibly be hiding, he habitually grabbed the pommel of his sword and drew the blade four or five inches out of its sheath. Connor raised his hands up in mock peace, leaning backwards to get farther away from the cold steel.

"Whoa there, Ezzi! No harm intended!"

Ezio huffed.

"Sorry, Connor. I've been..."

"...Paranoid lately? Yeah. I noticed." He sat back up and regained his posture.

"Mmm," Ezio grunted in affirmation, "It's just... I'm not even a real Assassin yet, and I feel like... like..."

"Like you could kill them all?"

"...Sure?"

Connor chuckled. "Yeah, I used know that feeling. Now I don't have feelings anymore. I'm like a tree. Or a rock. I'm just kinda... there."

Ezio's mouth frowned, but his eyes gleamed with humor. "I'm pretty sure you're not a rock or tree, eh?" He gave him a good-natured punch on the shoulder. "Geez, we could be friends, you know. Us three. We could be... like a team."

Connor thought for a moment before he gave his answer, obviously displeased about it.

"Ezio, we live by the creed. We can't be a team; it would break the rules."

Ezio's face became pouty. "I'm not a real Assassin yet, though! And neither are you!"

Connor put a hand on his chest, fingering the edge of his tunic. "You know?" he whispered.

"Man, I just kinda guessed. You ido/i live all alone. Here. In the woods... No one to train you. So you're not official. ...right? ...Connor?"

He seemed to snap out of a day dream, staring off into the dark void of the forest. He almost looked like he was longing for the comfort of the trees... or something that they hid.

"I'm not- I'm not a real one yet, yeah..." he seemed to catch himself, but finished the sentance so quickly that Ezio almost missed it.

"Connor... you don't live alone, do you? You're hiding something... I can tell."

Connor looked frightened for the first time since they had met.

"No I'm not!"

It was Ezio's turn to chuckle. "I can tell. It's obvious. You're probably doing that thing with the hem of your tunic because you're nervous. Habit?"

"...yes..." He seemed even farther away, retreating into the confines of his own self.

"Connor!" Ezio repeatedly snapped his fingers in front of his friend's face. "Connor... sognatore, hey!"

Connor snapped back into reality. "What did you just say?"

"I called you 'daydreamer'... In Italian."

"Don't go all weird on me now..."

"I'm not weird! You're the one who's being weird! You're just sitting here being all stand-offish and-"

"My village and I live here, in the forest. But in the future!" Connor looked mortified and slapped a hand over his mouth, as if he couldn't believe he had just blurted out his secret to a complete almost- stranger.

"What?" Ezio stared at him in disbelief. "From the future? That's not-"

Ezio stopped in mid-sentance and looked back to where Altair was resting. He understood now.

"It is...isn't it?"

Connor slowly nodded, as if he was giving Ezio the confirmation to his death sentance. This set Ezio off into a flurry of fear, exitement, and other feelings that were unknown to him. He just stared at Connor, who did not hold eye contact, instead he looked at a misshapen rock.

"Connor, what's happening? I'm kind of freaking out here... merda, cosa posso fare? Cosa posso fare?"

"Ezio, lower your voice and speak in english! Please!"

Connor had finally stood up.

"I- sorry, I do that when I get upset."

"What, shout? Or speak in Italian?"

"Both."

"Well... don't get upset."

"Wh- how can't I? I mean, fanculo, this is just a big mess!"

"What was that you just-"

"I said FUCK. FUCK. F-U-C-K! I'm parlando en Inglese! Can't you capire me? ...Connor, mi capisci? Sai di cosa sto dicendo?"

"I...Ezio, stop talking in Italian! I don't understand what you're- oh no... you can't understand me, can you?"

Ezio was looking concerned and confused, his face rippling with frown lines.

"Che cosa sta succedendo?"

Connor was beginning to panic; the Animus must be...

"No... no! No, no no! Shit, the automatic translator must be broken!"

"Connor... Connor!" That was the only thing Ezio knew Connor could understand. He only could think in Italian, so therefore he could only speak it. He didn't understand what was going on, or what Connor was yelling his head off about, but he knew that Connor could fix it... maybe. So he called to him.

"Connor... CONN-OR!"

"Ezio, shut up! You're overusing my name! Don't you know that's bad luck!"

Ezio only looked more confused. "...Connor?"

"Argh!" Connor pulled at his hair. "What's going on? Why isn't-"

"CONNOR." Ezio said plainly but deliberately.

"WHAT." He answerd back in the same tone, if more forcefully.

"Connor, Guarda! Ecco!" He pointed to his eyes and then the tent where Altair was supposed to be sleeping.

Connor walked over to where he was pointing and lifted the flap of the tent. He peered inside, and staring right back at him were two blue eyes, ready to kill.


	4. Chapter 4

"If looks could kill, man..."

Connor stumbled backwards from the tent with a yelp. Altair emerged from the depths of its innards and stood up straight, putting both of his hands behind his head.

"You'd be so dead right now." he finished with a smirk.

"Altair!" Ezio threw his hands into the air witha 'yay!' and ran over to him.

"Altair, Altair! Sei tornato al mondo dei vivi! Grazie, Dio!"

Altair dropped his hands to his sides and frowned. "Ezio, what's wrong? Why don't you speak in english, stupid?"

Ezio looked like he was about to cry. "Altair, non posso parlare in inglese! Qualcosa non va!"

"What is he saying?" Connor had recovered from the exitement. Altair turned to him.

"Who are you?"

Ezio pointed and said "Connor. Connor! Questo è Connor! Digli quello che sto dicendo, per favore!"

Altair accepted the fact that he had to translate for the newcomer. He sighed.

"He's saying 'Altair, I cannot speak in English. Something is wrong.'"

Ezio looked pleased. Connor looked at him. "The translator is broken, Ezio. I don't know what happened."

Ezio looked confused. "Che cosa ha detto? Altair, che cosa ha detto?"

Altair translated. "He asked what you said. Ezio, lui dice che non sa cosa sia successo, ma il 'traduttore' è rotto."

"What?" Connor asked. "You can speak it, too?"

Altair nodded. "I learned from my mentor and studied many different languages. It was a... personal goal of mine."

Connor grunted in affirmation. "I had personal goals too. But... I can't... I just... can't fulfill them now..."

Altair looked curious, but didn't inquire further. Instead, he turned to Ezio.

"Ezio, ho bisogno di calmarsi un po 'e pensare. Cosa è andato storto? Che cosa è successo?"

Connor looked for a translation.

"I asked him to calm down a bit and think what went wrong and what happened."

Ezio sat down and rested his head on his hands.

"Non so bene cosa è successo. Connor ha detto qualcosa del suo paese indietro nel passato ... e poi ... 'puf'."

"'Puf?' As in... poof?"

"Sì. 'Puf.'"

"What?"

Altair looked annoyed.

"I don't know quite what happened. Connor said something about his village back in the past... and then... 'poof.'"

Connor threw his head up to the sky as he laughed.

"Hahahahaha! Poof. Brilliant."

"Ezio. Qualsiasi altra cosa accada prima o dopo aver detto qualcosa a proposito del suo villaggio?"

Altair held up his hand to stop him and turned to Connor.

"Did anything else happen before or after you said something about your village?"

Both shook their heads.

"No." "Non."

"Hmmmmm..." He snapped his fingers. "Connor!"

"What?" Connor held his hands up in front of him. "What?"

Altair walked towards him. "I need you to say something about your village!"

"What? You're crazy, man!"

"Just do it!"

"Like what?"

Altair threw up his hands and started pacing.

"Anything!"

"Uh..."

"Connor! Per favore! Dì qualcosa! Non voglio dover usare Altair come il nostro traduttore! Siamo amici! Non ci non essere amici solo perché tu non puoi capire!"

Altair's face hinted at sadness as he pulled his hood back over his face.

"Altair... what... what did he say?"

"Connor! Please! Say something! I do not want to have to use Altair as our translator! We're friends! Don't make us not be friends just because you can not understand me!"

Connor looked at Ezio, and then at Altair.

"Ezio. I'm going to tell you about my village."

"Ezio ... lui ... ha intenzione di parlarvi del suo villaggio ora."

"Va bene. Begin, per favore."

"Begin, please."

Connor nodded.

"Mmmm... The trees around here remind me of home. Home for me was... secluded. Of course, my friends and family... and enemies... we all lived in one place, but... nobody ever came near us. Except for the time when..."

As Connor was talking, Altair was translating and Ezio was listening on the large boulder, his legs dangling and swinging back and forth with his head bobbing to the rhythm of Connor's words and Altair's translations.

As Connor ended his tale, the sun was rising above the horizon.

"Connor, that was a hell of a long story."

Altair walked over to the pot of water and pured himself a cup.

"Connor. Altair." Ezio stood up and nodded. "Grazie."

They both groaned, and Connor looked like he was about to slit his own throat with both his tiredness and his frustration. He put the cup up to his lips to drink.

"Grazie. Thank you for the story. I believe it worked."

Altair spit out water through his nose in surprise, and it all landed on Connor, who punched him in the face and screamed "Oh! Oh! OOOOOH! Yes, thank you God!" while Ezio laughed.

"You mother..." Altair gave them both dirty lookes and then couldn't help but smile, which soon transformed into straight up laughing.

As the trio laughed until they could no more, the sun rose higher into the sky and all cluds dissapated, leaving the clearest overhead that had not been seen in years.


End file.
